Duty Calls: Sharon Springs sailor promoted

Terry Brow, Times Union

By Terry Brown, Duty Calls

Published 5:25 pm, Saturday, October 26, 2013

Division of Military and Naval Affairs
New York Army National Guard Captains Amy and Brian Bonanno cross the finish line with their son Brian and daughter Grace during the New York National Guard Family Readiness Council?s Hometown Heroes 5-K race held on Oct. 19 at the Crossings of Colonie park. More than 150 runners took part in the event, which raised money for the council that helps soldiers, airmen and their families.
()

Division of Military and Naval Affairs
New York Army National Guard...

Benson replaces Capt. Joseph Minning, a veteran of both Afghanistan and Iraq, who has led the company since 2011, including a deployment to Afghanistan in 2012.

After Benson graduated from Harford High School, Harford, Cortland County, in 1992, he enlisted in the Marine Corps. He served in Florida and Hawaii until 1996, when he left active duty at the rank of sergeant.

He earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the State University at New York.

In January 2002, Benson enlisted in the New York Army National Guard and attended Officer Candidate School. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in 2004.

The 10-month curriculum of the Army's senior officer school prepares and trains officers of all the U.S. military branches, foreign military officers, as well as senior civilian officials of federal agencies, to serve in top-level command and staff positions with the U.S. Armed Forces worldwide.

Sullivan is the director of joint future plans assigned to the Joint Operational Corps at Kabul, Afghanistan. The colonel has served in the military for 27 years.

He is the son of Joseph and Margaret Sullivan of Albany.

Sullivan graduated in 1980 from Albany High School and received a bachelor of arts degree in 1986 from the University at Albany. He earned a master's degree in 2000 from Canisius College, Buffalo.